Positioning
Lexus IS has been presented as the car which has occupied слот below level ES to become direct competitor BMW of 3 series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and to sport sedans Nissan Skyline/Infiniti G35.
In America Lexus IS uses huge popularity while in other world the leader still are its German competitors.
The name
On one of versions abbreviation IS occurs from «Intelligent Sport».
IS F — «Intelligent Sport Fun».
The first generation (October 1998 — July 2005)
The first generation Altezza was issued in three variants:
AS200 (A code of chassis TA-GXE-10 (sedan) with 6 cylinder the engine 1G-FE series Toyota G capacity of 160 h.p. (118 kw) with 6 step mechanical transmission or 160 h.p. (114 kw) with 4-yoh a step automatic transmission.
RS200 (Chassis GH-SXE-10 code (a sedan)) with tuning firm Yamaha 4-yoh the cylinder engine 3S-GE series Toyota S capacity of 210 h.p. (154 kw) with 6 step mechanical transmission or 200 h.p. (147 kw) 5 step automatic transmission.
AS300 (Chassis TA-JCE-10 code (the versatile person); TA-JCE-15 (4WD the versatile person)) with 6 cylinder the engine 2JZ-GE series Toyota JZ capacity of 220 h.p. (162 kw) with 5 step automatic transmission for a monodrive and 215 h.p. (160 kw) 4-yoh a step automatic transmission for 4WD.
By the way, running gear repair, also as well as the engine (speech about a series 1G-FE) is simple enough, for details are interchangeable, i.e. approach from other cars which are let out in Japan: Toyota Mark-2 (since 1998), Toyota Crown (since 1998), Toyota Cresta (since 1998)
In the USA and Europe sales Lexus IS 300 were very low. In the American market of sale have fallen from 22,486 cars in 2001 to level more low 10,000 in 2004. IS 200 was on sale better, but all the same strongly did not hold out to break-even sales level Mercedes-Benz of a C-class and others, basically German, competitors.
